Disruptive pupils are to be given foot massages in a bid to curb their unruly behaviour, it emerged today.

Lambeth council in south London is to spend £90,000 next year on sending reflexologists into schools.

The therapists from Bud-Umbrella, a London-based charity, which offers complementary therapies to adults and children, will visit 60 primary and 14 secondary schools in Lambeth.

They will work with children under age 13 who are considered badly behaved.

Reflexology is the practice of manipulating the feet in an attempt to combat problems in the rest of the body or mind. Bud-Umbrella's website promises that the alternative therapy is "very beneficial" and can calm aggressive feelings, improve listening skills and concentration as well as relieve anxiety and stress.

It says the therapy "creates a feeling of wellbeing". Ministers said last month that schools will be judged on their contribution to pupils' wellbeing.

Bud-Umbrella also works with the Sir John Cass Foundation education charity.

Prof David Colquhoun, pharmacologist at University College London and prcampaigner against "quackery", said: "This is all a bit heartbreaking. Reflexology is a type of quackery based on nonsensical principles, and it should not be paid for by taxpayers.

"There isn't a happ'orth of reason to think that that it is any different from plain old foot massage.

"The council missed a chance to compare 'reflexology' with massage in a way that might contribute to, rather than obscure, knowledge," he said.

"It's always possible that kids might benefit from the attention involved in having their feet massaged (as long as they aren't too ticklish), but there will be no way of telling whether there was any improvement or not, because there seems to be no comparison group.

"It sounds like a repeat of the farcical Durham fish oil non-trials that were exposed so effectively by Ben Goldacre."

A spokeswoman for Lambeth council said: "It's incredibly important that we address young people's behavioural problems and we make no apologies for using different and innovative methods, but this obviously won't replace more traditional ways of dealing with anti-social behaviour.

"We have just pumped an extra £2m into youth services overall and we provide a whole raft of both traditional and innovative measures to tackle anti-social behaviour across the borough.

"We need to deal with the root causes of young people's behavioural problems and nip them in the bud - prevention is better than cure.

"In fact there has been a 50% increase in attendance and 60% decrease in exclusions among young people involved in the programme."

Reflexology involves applying pressure to specific points on the feet, and is often used to ease headaches, backache and sinus problems.